Improvement in apparatus for forcing oil from wells



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armar FFICE..

JAMES MOLYNEUX, OF BORDENTOVVN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR FORCING OIL FROM WELLS.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MOLYNEUX, of

Bordentown, Burlington county, New Jersey, have invented an Apparatus for Forcing Oil from Oil-Wells; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of apparatus, fully described hereinafter, for forcing oil from oilwells without the aid of the complex pumping apparatus usually employed for the purpose.

In order to enable others to practice my invention, I will now proceed to describe the manner of carrying it into eifect.

On referenceto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specifica-tion, Figure l represents a vertical section of a spent oilwell, exhibiting my mode of raising oil from the same, and Fig. 2 is a side view ofFig. 1.

A represents the exterior pipe of an ordi nary petroleum-oil well, B being the inner pipe, through which the oil is permitted to rise when the flow is spontaneous, or through which the oil is pumped when mechanical aid is required to raise the oil. C is a smaller pipe, placed within the pipe A, its lower end being immersed in the oil which romains in the well, and the surface of which is indicated by the line x. This small pipe (J is continued upward through the well, and projects above the surface E of the ground, passing through a pipe, F, which may be termed a continuation ofthe pipe B, and communicating with the discharge-pipe D, thelatter being furnished with `a suitable cock or valve, a. The pipe F has two branches, G and G, each being furnished with a cock or valve, c, the branch Gr communicatin g with an ordinary air-pump, H, which has the usual piston and valves, and the pipe G communicating with a steam-boiler under circumstances described hereinafter.

It is well known that many of the wells in the oil-districts of Pennsylvania will continue to discharge oil spontaneously for some time, the spontaneous flow of oil, however, fr equently ceasing, in which case the wells are either entirely abandoned, or resort is had to an elaborate system of pumps for raising the oil.

By my invention the use of the usual pumping apparatus is dispensed with, the oil being forced from the spent well by compressed air or steam under aconsiderable pressure. Wh n compressed air is used, I close the cock c of the branch pipe G', open the cock e of the branch-pipe G, and the cock a of the dischargepipe D. The piston of the pump H is then operated by means of any adjacent steam-engine with suitable gearing. The compressed air for which a free passageis afforded through the annular space between the pipes E and D, and thence downward between the pipes B and C, acts on the surface of the oil at fr, and forces the same through the internal pipe G and discharge-pipe D with a rapidity commensurate with the force applied.

Although I prefer the use of compressed air for forcing the oil from the wells, it may be more convenient in some instances to use steam under a pressure. In this case the cock e ofthe branch-pipe G is closed, the operation ot' the pump H is discontinued, and the cock e of the branch pipe G opened, when a result similar to that described above will take place.

Although I have described my mode of forcing oil from wells which have ceased to discharge oil`spontaneously, it is applicable to oil-wells generally in lieu of pumping apparatus.

In some instances the inner pipe, C, maybe dispensed with-as, for instance, when there is a little or no water within the outer pipe. In this case the compressed air may pass down` the space between the outer pipe and pipe B, the oil bring forced through the latter pipe.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to claim, broadly, the raising of uids'by the pressure of air or steam applied to the surface; but

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination with the pipe D of an Artesian oil-well, of an internal pipe C, between which and the pipe D intervenes a space,

when the said pipe D is so connected with a.

as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAS. MOLYNEUX.

Witnesses HENRY HowsoN, J ol-IN WHITE. 

